ذهب إلى النوم
dhahaba 'ila al-nawm
To go to bed in Arabic is ذهب إلى النوم (dhahaba 'ila al-nawm).
The phrase is used to indicate the action of lying down to sleep.
Meaning: to lie down to sleep (verb)
Which one should you use?
The expression varies significantly based on the level of formality and the specific regional dialect being used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, you can use قوم نام to express 'go to bed'. In Levantine Arabic, the phrase اروح انام can be used for the same meaning.
How do you pronounce it?
dhahaba 'ila al-nawm
When do people say it?
In a formal context, you might suggest someone go to bed by saying أنت بحاجة إلى الرَّاحَة, which means 'you need rest'.
Did you know?
- The verb in ذهب shares a common ancestor with the Hebrew word for 'gold', זָהָב, though in Arabic it means 'to go'.
- In Egyptian Arabic, the phrase قوم نام literally translates as 'stand up and sleep'.
- Arabic often treats the concept of sleep as a destination, as seen in ذهب إلى النوم, which literally means 'went to the sleep'.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries إلى, ذهب, CC BY-SA 4.0.
